Our Union with Christ
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3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
Sermon Series: Living the Gospel
Living as Saints of God and Ambassadors of Jesus Christ.
Last time I talked about our identity in Christ, that the true born again believer is a new creature:
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
As a new creature in Christ, we are dead to sin. Paul said in Romans 6:2
When asked should we continue to sin that grace will abound? Paul responded in strong emphatic terms:
2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
Christians - believers, true followers of the Lord Jesus are dead to sin, as I have described in the last message - Sin no longer has authority over you.
In this next verses of Romans Chapter 6, Paul describes the process of how we took on our new identity in Christ in our Regeneration.
Regeneration
First what is your identity? I think the most simple definition of identity is what you respond when asked “Who are you?”.
In the western world, most people associate who they are with what they do.
So to the question “who are you?” people reply:
“I am a husband”
“I am a wife”
“I am a doctor”
“I am a business man”
“I am a nurse”
“I am a Pastor”
Although some will reply with their heritage:
“I am an American”
“I’m Hispanic”
“I am a black American”
“I am Filipino”
“I am a Christian”
Note that even as Christians, it is easy to overlook our true identity - that is in Jesus Christ.
How did we take on our identity in Christ?
We were joined into the death of Jesus.
3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
The English Word Baptize is a transliteration not a translation. Which means the English bible used a word that sounded like the original Greek word - Baptizo.
Meaning of baptize is to be joined with.
The first part - “Do you not know that as many of us were baptized into Christ Jesus”… Paul talked of water Baptism.. he said that water baptism is a symbol of what happens to us spiritually - we are baptized (remember the word joined) or joined into His death.
Water Baptism is an outward, visible representation of an inward, spiritual reality (The Westminster Confession of Faith)
(encourage folks to be baptized on resurrection Sunday)
The work of the Holy Spirit placed us in union with Christ in His death when we believed.
Thus, when Christ died, we died with Him.
Paul said in Galatians 2:20, I am crucified with Christ...
How did we take on our identity in Christ?
2. We were joined into the burial of Christ.
“Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death...” (Romans 6:4a)
Nothing could be more conclusive in death than to be buried.
There is a finality..
Debate between burial and cremation..
The old man, characterized by rebellion and sin was put to death and was buried because of being placed into Christ in His death and burial.
How did we take on our identity in Christ?
3. We were joined in Christ’s resurrection.
“that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4b)
What Paul is saying here is that you have been partakers of the resurrection of Jesus not symbolically, not figuratively but literally!
How do we personalize this truth that we have been united with the Lord Jesus Christ in his death, burial and resurrection? What are its implications in our lives?
Since you are in Christ, you have been accepted in Christ!
Even after being saved, Christians struggle with this. And many feel that they have to perform in order to be accepted by God.
Performance-based acceptance.
If we have this mindset, we will never be satisfied because our dependence becomes on ourselves..
“You have not done enough! You have to do more!”
when we fail or when we sin, there is a condemning voice:
“you have blown it! you are a loser!”
Everyone craves for a degree of acceptance..
When we truly grasp what God has done for us that He has joined us in Christ in His death, burial and resurrection, we then can truly experience God’s unconditional acceptance.
5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
We shall be with Jesus in the likeness of His resurrection.
How about sin - please do not misunderstand,,, we have to seriously abhor sin..there is now a deep conviction — we confess..
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Illustration of our new identity in Christ which I entitled “The Wicked Boy:
I used this illustration a long time ago to explain the difference between mercy and grace:
The wicked boy was caught stealing, sentenced to jail time and to pay a fine that he can never pay.. mercy is when the judge pardons him and lets him go.. grace is when the judge pardons, adopts the wicked boy as his own son, takes him as his own son, and makes him live in luxury.
There are two problems with this illustration:
Although the judge paid the debt - the complete sentence was not carried out, someone had to go to jail - justice had to be served
while the boy was adopted by the judge, nothing indicates that he had changed - he is still a wicked boy!
This is the danger with illustrations. There is a saying that goes like this: “illustrations are not meant to stand on all fours” ---
There is no human analogy that can perfectly illustrate what Jesus did for us..
In eternity, when Jesus died, your old self died with Him
When He was buried, the old dead man was buried with Him
When He was raised, a New man was raised with Him.
As a regenerate person, united in Christ, your identity is now in Him.
Now, how do you answer the question: “Who are you?” - your true identity is in Christ.
But now - With your new identity in Christ:
you can be a great husband.
you can be a great wife.
you can be a great doctor.
you can be a great nurse.
you can be a great ambassador of Jesus Christ!
Confession:
When Christ died, I died.
When Christ was buried, I was buried.
When Christ was raised, I was raised!
I am united with Christ!
My identity is now in my Lord Jesus Christ!